Josh 24:14

14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put

away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and

serve ye the LORD.

(KJV)

Josh 24:15

15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will

serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood,

or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will

serve the LORD.

(KJV)

SERVING GOD IS A CHOICE

A YOUNG TRAINEE ASKED A VERY SUCCESSFUL BANK PRESIDENT, "WHAT

IS THE SECRET OF YOUR SUCCESS?" THE PRESIDENT RESPONDED THAT

THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS IS THAT I MAKE GOOD CHOICES. THE

TRAINEE INQUIRED FURTHER, "HOW DID YOU LEARN TO MAKE GOOD

CHOICES?" THE PRESIDENT RESPONDED, "I LEARNED TO MAKE GOOD

CHOICES FROM THE EXPERIENCE I GAINED WHILE MAKING BAD CHOICES."

AND I JUST BELIEVE THAT ALL OF US CAN TESTIFY THAT WE ARE LIVING

WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF HAVING MADE SOME BAD CHOICES. BAD

CHOICES THAT HAVE KEPT US FROM BEING ALL THAT WE POSSIBLY

COULD HAVE BEEN. BAD CHOICES THAT HAVE HINDERED OUR GROWTH

AND PROGRESS. BAD CHOICES THAT LEAVE US PEERING FROM THE

BLEACHERS RATHER THAN OCCUPYING CENTER STAGE. BUT I'M HERE

THIS MORNING TO SAY THAT THAT'S THE BAD NEWS. THE GOOD NEWS IS

THAT WE CAN BEGIN TODAY TO BE SUCCESSFUL IF WE WILL LEARN FROM

THE EXPERIENCE GAINED WHILE HAVING MADE BAD CHOICES.

THIS MATTER OF CHOICE IS VERY IMPORTANT. SOMEONE SAID THAT IT IS

BECAUSE OF CHOOSING THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE THAT BOTH

MEN AND RIVERS ARE CROOKED. IT'S BECAUSE OF A CHOICE. RALPH

SACHMAN SAID THAT THE CHOICES YOU MAKE TODAY WILL DETERMINE

THE CHOICES THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO YOU ON TOMORROW. I

BELEIVE THAT IT WAS ROBERT FROST WHO SAID THAT TWO ROADS

DIVERGED IN THE WOODS AND I TOOK THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED. HE

MADE A CHOICE. ONE POET SAID, "SOW A THOUGHT AND REAP AN

ACTION, SOW AN ACTION AND REAP A HABIT, SOW A HABIT AND REAP A

CHARACHTER, SOW A CHARACTER AND REAP A DESTINY". THE BOTTOM

LINE IS THAT THE ROAD TO SUCCESS BEGINS WITH AND IS PAVED WITH

CHOICES.

IT WAS THIS MATTER OF CHOICE THAT PROMPTED GENERAL

JOSHUA TO CALL THE CONGREGATION TO MEET HIM IN A PLACE CALLED

SHECHEM. YOU BIBLE READERS WILL REMEMBER THAT SHECHEM IS THE

PLACE WHERE ABRAHAM STOPPED AND BUILT AN ALTAR AS HE WALKED

WEST WITH GOD. SHECHEM. THE PLACE WHERE JACOB STOPPED AND

TOOK THE IDOLS AWAY FROM HIS FAMILY. SHECHEM. THE PLACE

WHERE MOSES TOLD JOSHUA THAT AFTER YOU CROSS JORDAN AND

HAVE VICTORY AT JERICHO AND AI, TO GO DOWN TO THE VALLEY OF

SHECHEM BETWEEN MOUNT EBAL AND MOUNT GERIZEM AND HAVE A

TIME OF REVIVAL. SHECHEM. A THOUSAND YEARS FROM THE TIME OF

OUR TEXT, JESUS WOULD MEET THE WOMAN AT THE WELL IN THE

VALLEY OF SHECHEM. IT WAS AT SHECHEM THAT THIS CENTENARIAN,

THIS ONE HUNDRED AND TEN YEAR OLD GENERAL CALLED THE

CONGREGATION TOGETHER AND SAID IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE I GO

THE WAY OF ALL THE EARTH. AND I WANT YOU TO MAKE ME A PROMISE.

THAT IS THAT AFTER I'M DEAD AND GONE, I WANT YOU TO PROMISE ME

THAT YOU'LL GO ON SERVING JEHOVAH. SHECHEM.

THREE POINTS

(VERSE 14) NOW THEREFORE, FEAR THE LORD AND SERVE HIM IN

SINCERITY AND IN TRUTH. SERVING THE LORD REQUIRES THE

RENEWAL OF CHOICE.

THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT GOD REQUIRED HIS PEOPLE TO

RENEW THEIR CHOICE. THE FIRST TIME THEY MADE A COVENANT, THEY

MADE IT UNDER ABRAHAM. THEN THEY MADE THIS SAME COVENANT

AGAIN UNDER MOSES. NOW THEY ARE MAKING IT UNDER JOSHUA AND

SIX HUNDRED YEARS LATER THEY WILL MAKE IT UNDER DAVID. SO

NOTE THAT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, GOD REQUIRES HIS

PEOPLE TO RENEW THEIR COVENANT. YOU SEE, GOD KNOWS SOMETHING

ABOUT US THAT WE DON'T LIKE TO ADMIT ABOUT OURSELVES. WHAT

GOD KNOWS IS THAT OUR DECISIONS AND CHOICES ARE NOT ETCHED IN

STONE. WE'LL MAKE A DECISION TODAY, BUT TOMORROW WE WILL

WONDER, WE WILL STRAY FROM THE GOD WE SAY WE LOVE. ON

YESTERDAY YOU SHOULD HAVE STOPPED SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY

AND CRUCIFIED YOUR FLESH. YOU SHOULD HAVE TAKEN SOME TIME TO

GET WITH GOD AND THEREBY CRUCIFY YOUR FLESH. BUT WHEN YOU

WOKE UP THIS MORNING, YOU DISCOVERED THAT THAT SAME FLESH

THAT YOU HAD CRUCIFIED ON YESTERDAY WAS SITTING ON THE SIDE OF

THE BED, WAITING FOR YOU TO GET UP. AND BEFORE YOU COULD GET

STARTED ON THIS DAY, YOU HAD TO CRUCIFY THAT FLESH ALL OVER

AGAIN. IN OTHER WORDS, WE HAVE TO RENEW OUR CHOICE.

SO YOUNG PEOPLE, THE QUESTION TODAY IS NOT HAVE YOU ACCEPTED

JESUS, I BELIEVE YOU'VE DONE THAT, AND IF YOU HAVEN'T YOU NEED

TO. BUT FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE SAVED, WHETHER

OR NOT YOU HAVE ACCEPTED HIM IS NOT THE PRIMARY QUESTION, YOU

HAVE ACCEPTED HIM AS YOUR SAVIOR, SOME FIVE, SOME TEN YEARS

AGO, SO THAT'S NOT THE QUESTION OF THE HOUR, NOT WHETHER YOU

ACCEPTED HIM YESTERDAY, THE QUESTION OF THE HOUR IS DID YOU

ACCEPT HIM THIS MORNING. DID YOU CHOOSE TO FOLLOW HIM TODAY.

I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS. I HAVE DECIDED TO MAKE JESUS MY

CHOICE. I HAVE TO SAY, TODAY I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS.

THAT'S THE RENEWAL OF CHOICE.

SECONDLY THERE IS THE REQUIREMENT OF CHOICE. (STILL IN

VERSE 14) IT SAYS AND PUT AWAY THE GODS WHICH YOUR FATHERS

SERVED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER AND SERVE YE THE LORD.

NOW IF YOU WILL LOOK AT THE VERSE CAREFULLY THERE ARE SOME

SHOCKING THINGS HERE. HE SAYS, PUT AWAY THE GODS WHICH YOUR

FATHERS SERVED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER. MOSES WAS ON HIS

WAY TO TALK TO PHAROAH AND HE PASSED BY THE JEWISH GHETTO

AND TOLD THEM TO START PACKING, BECAUSE WHEN GOD SENDS THIS

LAST PLAGUE, PHAROAH WILL RUN US OUT OF HERE. AND YOU KNOW

THE STORY, THE DEATH ANGEL RODE THROUGH EGYPTS LAND AND

PHAROAH KICKED THE ISRAELITES OUT OF EGYPT. BUT WHEN THE JEWS

WENT TO PACK TO FOLLOW MOSES, NOT ONLY DID THEY PUT ALL OF

THEIR ESSENTIALS IN THEIR SUIT CASES, BUT THEY ALSO PUT THEIR

EGYPTIAN IDOLS IN THEIR SUITCASES. AND THEY RAN FROM PHAROAH

WITH IDOL GODS IN THEIR SUITCASES. AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT, WHEN

THEY GOT DOWN TO THE RED SEA, PHAROAH'S ARMY BEHIND THEM,

MOUNTAINS ON EITHER SIDE OF THEM THIS GREAT BODY OF WATER

BEFORE THEM, THEY WERE OUT THERE CALLING ON JEHOVAH GOD, WITH

IDOLS IN THEIR SUIT CASES. AND WHEN GOD BLEW WITH A BREATH OF

HIS NOSTRILS AND CAUSED THE WATERS OF THE RED SEA TO OPEN UP

AND THEY WALKED ACROSS ON DRY LAND, THEY WERE LOOKING UP AT

THE WALLS OF WATER, WITH IDOLS IN THEIR SUIT CASES. AS HE

MIRACULOUSLY GAVE THEM HONEY BREAD AND QUAIL MEAT, THEY ATE

HIS BREAD AND SWALLOWED HIS MEAT WITH IDOLS IN THEIR SUIT CASES.

AS GOD HAD WRAPPED HIMSELF UP IN A PILLAR OF CLOUD BY DAY AND A

PILLAR OF FIRE BY NIGHT, THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL FOLLOWED THE

CLOUD WITH IDOLS IN THEIR SUIT CASES. AS THEY WENT ACROSS

JORDAN RIVER VICTORIOUSLY DEFEATING THE FIVE CONFEDERATE

KINGS IN THE SOUTH AND THE 130 KINGS IN THE NORTH AND HAD SEVEN

YEARS OF VICTORY OVER THE SEVEN NATIONS THAT INHABITED

CANAAN LAND AND THEN 30 YEARS OF PEACE, BUT ALL THAT TIME THEY

HAD IDOLS IN THEIR SUITCASES. AND JOSHUA SAID YOU THOUGHT I

DIDN'T KNOW BUT LET ME BURST YOUR BUBBLES, GO AHEAD AND PUT

AWAY THE IDOLS THAT YOUR FATHERS SERVED. AND THAT BRINGS US

TO AN INTERESTING POINT FOR PARENTS, BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE WERE

THE CHILDREN OF THE PEOPLE WHO LEFT EGYPT, REMEMBER THAT

THESE PEOPLE TO WHOM JOSHUA WAS SPEAKING WERE THE CHILDREN

OF THOSE WHO DIED IN THE WILDERNESS BECAUSE OF REBELLION. AND

SO THESE PEOPLE TO WHOM JOSHUA IS SPEAKING ARE THE CHILDREN OF

THOSE WHO INITIALLY LEFT EGYPT. AND HE IS TELLING THEM, TO PUT

AWAY THE IDOLS THAT THEIR FATHERS SERVED. DO YOU KNOW WHAT

THAT SAYS, IT SAYS THAT THE PARENTS HAD PASSED THESE IDOLS

DOWN TO THEIR CHILDREN. NOW LET ME JUST ASK YOU PARENTS, WHAT

IDOLS ARE YOUR CHILDREN SERVING THAT THEY INHERITED FROM YOU.

CIGARETTE SMOKING, DRUGS, ALCOHOL, SEXUAL PROMISCUITY.

HE SAYS THE FIRST REQUIRMENT, THE FIRST CHOICE YOU NEED TO

MAKE IS TO PUT AWAY THE IDOL GODS THAT YOUR FATHERS SERVED.

PAUL SAID IT LIKE THIS, LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT, AND THE SIN WHICH

DOTH SO EASILY BESET YOU.

THERE IS A STORY OF A BRILLIANT YOUNG MAN WHO HAD JUST

STARTED ON A NEW JOB, AND HE WAS NOT LIVING UP TO HIS POTENTIAL.

SO HIS BOSS PUT HIS ARM AROUND HIM AND TOOK HIM FOR A WALK, HIS

BOSS SAID, YOUNG MAN YOU HAVE THE GREATEST POTENTIAL OF ANY

YOUNG EXECUTIVE I'VE EVER HIRED, AND I NEED TO ASK YOU A

QUESTION, WHAT'S IN YOUR BACK POCKET? HE THOUGHT HIS BOSS WAS

SPEAKING LITERALLY OF HIS BACK POCKET AND SO HE SAID THERE'S

NOTHING IN MY BACK POCKET. THE BOSS SAID, YES THERE'S SOMETHING

IN YOUR BACK POCKET, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE POCKET ON YOUR

PANTS, HE SAID DID YOUR OLD JOB TELL YOU THAT IF YOU DIDN'T LIKE

IT OVER HERE, THAT YOU COULD ALWAYS RETURN TO YOUR OLD JOB.

YES. DID THEY TELL YOU THAT YOU COULD TRY THIS OUT FOR A WHILE

BUT THAT YOU ALWAYS HAVE A JOB BACK THERE. YES. WELL, THAT'S

WHAT'S IN YOUR BACK POCKET. HE SAID YOU CAN'T GIVE THIS JOB YOUR

BEST UNTIL YOU GET THE OLD JOB OUT OF YOUR POCKET. SO LET ME

JUST ASK YOU THIS MORNING, WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR BACK

POCKET. I BELIEVE THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE PROBLEMS SERVING GOD,

BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE WORLD IN THEIR BACK POCKET. SOME PEOPLE

CAN'T PRAISE GOD RIGHT, BECAUSE OF A LIFESTYLE THEY HAVE IN THEIR

BACK POCKET. SO YOUNG PEOPLE, ONCE YOU KNOW THAT SERVING

GOD IS A CHOICE, AND ONCE YOU MAKE UP YOUR MIND TO SERVE HIM,

YOU NEED TO GET RID OF WHATEVER IS IN YOUR BACK POCKET.